مِنamong عَظيمِgreat البَلاءِcalamity مَوتُthe death of العَظيمِthe great man
مِن عَظيمِ البَلاءِ مَوتُ العَظيمِ
لَيتَنِيwould that I مِتُّI had died قَبلَbefore مَوتِthe death of الزَعيمِthe leader
لَيتَنِي مِتُّ قَبلَ مَوتِ الزَعيمِ
Among the gravest calamities is the death of a great man.
From the great afflictions is the death of the great man
Would that I had died before the leader's death.
Would that I had died before the death of the leader
ياO جُفُونيmy eyelids سُحّيpour forth دَماًblood أَوor فُحُمّيthen sear
يا جُفُوني سُحّي دَماً أَو فُحُمّي
صَحنَthe surface of خَدِيmy cheek بِعَبرَةٍwith a tear كَالحَميمِlike boiling water
صَحنَ خَدِي بِعَبرَةٍ كَالحَميمِ
O my eyelids, pour forth blood, or else sear
O my eyelids, pour blood or be scorched
the surface of my cheek with a tear like boiling water.
My cheek is furrowed with tears like molten lead
بَعدَafter خِرقٍa magnanimous man مِنَamong المُلوكِthe kings كَرِيمٍnoble
بَعدَ خِرقٍ مِنَ المُلوكِ كَرِيمٍ
ماnot زَمانٌan age أَودىbrought death بِهِto him بِكَرِيمِat all noble
ما زَمانٌ أَودى بِهِ بِكَرِيمِ
After the loss of a magnanimous, noble king—
After the loss of a generous king
the age that carried him off is not noble.
No era has destroyed one so generous
جَعَفرِيُّJa‘fari النِصابِin lineage مِنfrom صَفوَةِthe choicest of الصَفthe elite (first part)
جَعَفرِيُّ النِصابِ مِن صَفوَةِ الصَف
وَةِthe elite (completion) وَالفَخرِand glory فيin الصَميمِthe very core الصَميمِthe very core
وَةِ وَالفَخرِ في الصَميمِ الصَميمِ
Ja‘fari in lineage, of the choicest of the elite,
Ja'fari of noble origin, the essence of glory and pride at its core
and at the very innermost heart of glory.
O Abu Kamil, though it grieves me that your abode is now the soil after comfort
ياO أَباfather of كامِلٍKamil بِرَغمِيagainst my wishes أَنthat تُشafflicts you (first part)
يا أَبا كامِلٍ بِرَغمِي أَن تُش
قِيكَafflicts you (completion) سُكنىdwelling in التُرابِthe dust بَعدَafter النَعِيمِbliss
قِيكَ سُكنى التُرابِ بَعدَ النَعِيمِ
O Abu Kamil, it grieves me that
Or that palaces are empty of you and your bright, handsome face
dwelling in the dust should afflict you after bliss,
And the death of nobility, the trait of the fertile land and the habit of the miserable age
أَوor تَبِيتُspend the night القُصُورُthe palaces خالِيَةًempty مِنof
أَو تَبِيتُ القُصُورُ خالِيَةً مِن
كَyou وَمِنand of وَجهِكَyour face الوَضِيءِradiant الوَسيمِhandsome
كَ وَمِن وَجهِكَ الوَضِيءِ الوَسيمِ
or that the palaces should pass the night empty of
The wine-makers have wept in sorrow for him
you and your radiant, handsome face.
And the daughters of vine bewailed his loss
وَانقِراضُand the extinction of الكِرامِthe noble مِنamong شِيَمِthe ways of الدَهTime (first part)
وَانقِراضُ الكِرامِ مِن شِيَمِ الدَه
رِTime (completion) وَمِنand among عادَةِthe habits of الزَمانِthe age اللَئِيمِignoble
رِ وَمِن عادَةِ الزَمانِ اللَئِيمِ
And the extinction of the noble is among the ways of
She complains of the absence of the leader to God
Time, and among the habits of the ignoble age.
So her complaint reaches the Compassionate, Merciful
قَدindeed بَكَتwept حَسرَةًin anguish عَلَيهِover him المَذاكِيthe full-grown steeds
قَد بَكَت حَسرَةً عَلَيهِ المَذاكِي
وَشَكَتand lamented فَقَدَهُhis loss بَناتُdaughters of الرَسِيمِswift trotting
وَشَكَت فَقَدَهُ بَناتُ الرَسِيمِ
The full-grown steeds have wept over him in anguish,
and the swift-trotting she-camels lamented his loss.
تَشتَكِيthey lament غَيبَةَthe absence of الزَعِيمِthe leader إِلىto اللَGod (first part)
تَشتَكِي غَيبَةَ الزَعِيمِ إِلى اللَ
هِGod (completion) فَتُشكىso it is complained of إِلىto رَؤُوفٍa compassionate One رَحِيمِmerciful
هِ فَتُشكى إِلى رَؤُوفٍ رَحِيمِ
They lament the leader's absence to
God; their complaint is brought before One Compassionate and Merciful.
Partial English translation: 14 of 18 Arabic lines translated.